Ben Sutton
at Melbourne Park
World No.1 Novak Djokovic has booked his place in the final of the Australian Open after a marathon five-set victory over Andy Murray in one of the greatest matches ever played at Melbourne Park on Friday night.
Djokovic looked down and out when he lost an epic 88-minute third set but regrouped to seal the 6-3 3-6 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 7-5 win in four hours and 50 minutes.
The defending champion Djokovic was struggling with his breathing throughout the second and third sets but somehow mustered enough energy to send the match into a deciding set.
He faltered when serving for the match as Murray incredibly fought back from 5-2 down in the final set, but Djokovic would not be denied as he saved three break points at 5-5 before breaking the Scot's serve for an 11th time to seal the match.
For the first time in history the same two men will contest three consecutive Grand Slam finals with Djokovic to meet world No.2 Rafael Nadal in Sunday's showpiece.
Djokovic will like his chances too, having beaten the Spaniard in six finals last year including at Wimbledon and the US Open.
Murray made a nervous start to the match with Djokovic breezing through his opening service games and breaking the Scot in the fourth game.
Djokovic then dropped his serve, but broke Murray again the next game and this time consolidated before easily serving out the set.
He carried his momentum into the second with a break in the opening game and had a chance to make it 3-0 before Murray finally found his range.
The fourth seed reeled off four straight games before dropping his serve again to give Djokovic a chance to level the set.
But with some inspired tennis, Murray broke again and then served out the set to level the match with the world No.1 visibly struggling with his breathing and looking pained after every point.
Djokovic survived a marathon opening service game that went for 16 points and well over 15 minutes to begin the third set and it seemed only a matter of time before Murray took control.
Murray must have thought he had done so when he broke in the third game, but despite seeming down and out, Djokovic remarkably hit back immediately and then appeared to wake from his mid-match slumber as he willed himself back into the contest.
He held three set points on Murray's serve in the 10th game but the Scot was equal to the task with a massive serve, huge forehand winner and delicate drop shot helping him square the set at 5-5.
The topsy-turvy nature of the match continued with Murray breaking Djokovic before faltering on his own serve to send the set into a pivotal tiebreak.
Murray stepped up when it mattered with some big serves and groundstrokes powering him to three set points and another well-placed serve gave him the crucial third set.
After three gruelling sets, few could have predicted what happened in the fourth with Djokovic steamrolling Murray in just 28 minutes with breaks in the first, third and seventh game sending the match into a decider.
With the momentum behind him, Djokovic landed the crucial first break in the sixth game thanks to a ripping forehand winner.
Nerves appeared to set in when the Serb served for the match as Murray remarkably reeled off four straight points to break